Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Nick Simmonett 
Date:Thursday April 19 2007
Time: 11:47AM
UK time is: 21:28:51
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Hill-Wood: Wenger Will Stay
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has told Arsenal TV Online that boss Arsene Wenger is going nowhere after yesterday's shock departure of David Dein.
Within minutes of Dein's departure rumours began that Wenger would be next out the Emirates door, due to close relationship the pair share.
Hill-Wood was swift to reassure fans though, saying: "The relationship that Arsene has with the board is good.
"He is on contract until 2008 and we hope he will extend beyond that."
He added: "It's well known that Arsene and David have got on very well over the past 10 years and I am certain that Arsene will miss him."
Peter went on to deny yet more rumours that Dein's departure was due to lack of transfer funds: "We've always made funds available to Arsene, he attends the board meetings, he understands the financial position," said Hill-Wood.
"I can assure supporters that we will continue to provide funds when Arsene requires them.
"We have a very good squad - young, maybe, but developing well - and if Arsene wants to strengthen it we have the money to provide him with any reasonable purchases he wants to make."
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Your Comments
i have to say i'm not worried in the slightest about arsene leaving. he's in total control here and he wont get there anywhere else and he knows that. plus the longer he's been wioth us the more of gooner he's become so he wont leave!
Labwam
He'll certainly be here until his contract ends, beyond that? Who can tell at this stage?
Little Dutch
Don't LD, you're scaring me!!
Rocky7
Yeah, a completely scary thought, LD !! But I do think Wenger is trying to build something here which will last even after he is gone. I just dont think he will achieve that by 2008, mebbe another 2-3 years after that atleast. Anyway this clarification by PHW was good, it came quickly, and I am relieved.
prits
Until this board situation has been sorted it would be foolhardy to say whether he will stay beyond his present contract or not. We just can't tell until this stuff has been sorted. But if Kroenke wants into this club, he knows the worst thing he could do would be to undermine his own investment, that means little disruption as possible, that means keeping AW. I am usually not the guy's biggest fan, but check out what arseblog has posted today, it's pretty spot on, there's no need to panic.
Little Dutch
I think the comment Kroenke is a business man and will not want to undermine his investment is in the main correct; however it may serve his purpose if he wants to strip the assets and use the money gained elsewhere. Worrying times ahead for us the club and supporters when we don’t need it.
alwaysgunner
mark my words, Dein will be back after the club has been bought by kronke and dein will be made as chairman.
PUREGOLD
The way PHW has put about the transfer fund is scary. In one of the prev statements some months back, they said anything that AW wants will be done, now it is about REASONABLE purchases. I wonder if there was really a muckup about transfer funds. AW has commented in the past that if he wanted some player DD went further than reasonableness to get him the player.
Also he is expressing HOPE that AW stay beyond 2008. It is not a good way to put things. If he(PHW) is sure about Wenger staying longer I think the wording would have been different. So lets wait for this to settle down. Hoping it is resolved as quickly as possible.
questforavalon
Yes PG, DD is a mover & shaker and may well try to return with Kroenke, but hopefully the board can hold them off. Even if Dein did return he would create another gulf, since in Arsene's (and most fans') eyes, a takeover would mean the death of tradition... however well AW and DD get on, I dont see how they could reconcile such diametrically opposed stances. Whatever these guys are gonna do, I hope they show their hand quick so we dont have to stew on this for months and years.
Andy-bayor
Why are people so opposed to a takeover?? (Not that I think it will happen now). What are these traditions that no foreigner especially an american, could possible bring to the club?? Kroenke is a proven sports fanatic, who doesn't buy teams for profit alone but for success. His money was made through property not through asset stripping sports clubs. DD wanted Wenger to have the best players & real money available, but the rest of the board have not supported him. Now Dein has gone there will be nobody on that board fighting Wenger's corner so he will be living on a smaller budget than ever before. Unless PHW & the rest get out of the dark ages then this club is going to end up a midtable team with debts they cannot possible pay.
Ashburton Gooner
good points andy and AG, but its about money and ego's alas. fizman, dein, edelman as i have said before have huge ego's. now for me personally i think dein has the right attitude. PHW is ancient and old school, his believe is that every pound you put in should show you a return. in a business sense that is quite right. i think dein will sell his share to kroenke now, kroenke will pick up a further 6 or 7% and then have enough to force a takeover. Dein has such experience in dealing with football, his asset in running a club is invaluable and i am sure kroenke would install him as chairman to run the club exactly as it is now, just more money behind it and more power. so the ownership changes, doesn't bother me and after a while if the club is successful it won't bother anyoen else. look at MAN USA, they could pull of the trebble AGAIN this year, all those fans who were going loopy when the glaziers took over, have gone very quiet now, wonder why >? nothing to do with winning the league and possible more is it ?
PUREGOLD
Suddently a take over is not looking something bad for us!
afghenry
I checked out Kroenke record in the US, pretty impressive in my book. He's a sports fan, and as some comments have already said, he believes in building those that he's taken over. It would be no different should he get control of the Arsenal. PG is right. ManU supporters were in rages about the Glazier family, yet nothing much has changed....big signing last summer, and Hargreaves this. Yes they have some debt now, but as & when this is paid back, Glazier makes his cash. My only fear is any upheaval in the short term should anything proceed on change of ownership, and possible ramifications if AW ever....now that does scare me
916995
I'm not even British, but I respect PHW's intentions to keep the club in the hands of people who invested in Arsenal not for the financial reward, but for the historical love of the club. These are people who's familys have been linked to Arsenal since it began. Foriegn investment leads to short term gains (see Chelsea), but when football turns into business and clubs are looked at solely to make money, whats to stop it turning into American Football where francises are bought and moved, in some cases another state. If DD believes that Kroenke is the way to go, then good ridance. Also, Wenger will never renage on his contract so we're safe until 2008 at least.
d11gunner
http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1766_2074740,00.html
I think this article sums up what I was trying to get at in the above post.
d11gunner
aparently AW had dinner with DD after the city game, just the two of them ! interesting if DD was smoothing AW over and letting him in on his plans and what could happen ?
PUREGOLD
PG...Wenger has at every prompting stated that he believes the "values and traditions" of the club need to be maintained, he's also said he feels it should remain in British hands. Without knowing the full details, this seems to contridict Deins stance.
d11gunner
Hes not going anywhere...trust me :)
AB_Arsenal
There is talk today that he may end up as England boss,VERY soon.
madmick1
i have to agree with PG here, i see DD coming back to the club, and if that happens, there is not much of a chance of AW leaving the club..
luckys_10
Someone as clever as Arsene Wenger would not be fully against change without 1st listening to what the changes would entail. Imagine if the players he took over in 1996 adopted a 'no change' attitude? If anything were to happen Arsene would listen and make an informed decision about where his future lies.
iceman10
If Dein sells out to Kronke, Dein will be made his Board representative. That will make for lots of harmony in the Boardroom won't it? As for Arsene managing England, I thought that was going to be Jose's job since he already manages a number of the England players! :)
Westl
Or Ex England players in the case of Fudge Lumpard!
iceman10
I dont doubt for a moment Arsene would leave because Dein has gone. I would suggest that Arsene at some stage in his life will sit on the board and lead us off the field too. David Dein will be back with Mr Kronke, mark my words.
gunnerb
Westl, why you keep coming over here is a mystery to me, but when you start making comments about our clubs boardroom, takeover, manager etc, when your very own club is walking one of the thinnest financial tightropes ever known to the world of football, I must say, is nothing short of astounding.
flv
the clue is in the words...any reasonable purchases.....oops the purse strings seem tighter already monsiour........
ernshaw
Fabregas 1m, Van Persie 4.5m, Denilson 4m, Anelka 500k, Vieira 3.5m, Sol Campbell Free, Ljungberg 3m, Toure 150k. You don't need big cash, you just need an Arsene and a bit of faith.
flv
i have no doubts either my friends he is definately staying. but as you look in the case of sir alex, roy keane has certainly assumed the role of taking over once hes ready to lead teh old trafford outfit. but in our position we really dont have a successor. who do you think will be successor? tony adams looked like an option but i really dont know...
ahops101
As far as I'm concerned ahops, there is only one Dennis Bergkamp! Intelligent, and an out and out attacking mind. How about Seaman coaching the keepers, Adams to coach the defenders, Vieira to coach the midfield, and Henry the attack! Wenger to move upstairs to advise Bergkamp when he asks for some advice. Then I woke up...... and realised that Wenger's successor is Cygan!!!! Aaaarrgggghh!!!!!!
flv
And even worse, he's decided to become player manager 8-( Heehee!
flv
Could be worse though, we could have global sphere head from Tottenham to come and manage us. Do you know that Martin Jols head generates enough gravity that the sun is now being pulled towards the Earth? That's the real reason for global warming you know. Carbon emissions, my a*** 8-)
flv
I want Arsene to win a CL Trophy first with the Gunner first before he goes elsewhere or retires. A CL trophy is on the calendar within coming 1-3 years. I can see it coming! I believe, Arsene also knows that and will stay. Frankly speaking, the new Gunning spirit speaks volumes about Arsene.
SWPACIFIC
I was incredibly shocked and distressed to hear that DD was no longer part of Arsenal. As it's been mentioned on a couple of posts, he's brought a lot of forward vision to the club and of course, is the one responsible for bringing in Wenger. I don't think Wenger will leave anytime soon, he'll definitely stay true until his contract expires. After that I dunno. :T
ducksworth
flv, I come here for the same reasons LD and Rocky, amonst others, come to our site: to see what the competitions' fans are jawing about, some football debate and friendly banter. Hope you don't mind! :)
Westl
Lads, what will you do when Wenger leaves? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=449630&in_page_id=1779&ct=5
Blue is the colour
Of course I don't mind Westl. Didn't you know, i'm your biggest fan? 8-)
Blue is the colour. When Wenger leaves we will be doing just what we normally do, which is supporting our club, and welcoming in a new manager. I presume that's just what you lot will be doing when Jose and Uncle Roman leave right?
flv
flv, thanks for the support! When Jose leaves we will be gutted, much as we were when Zola left. When Roman leaves we will all be old and gray and left with many fond memories!
Westl
He's a Goner (no longer a Gooner) come the Summer...whoever next for you hey???
matt..shelfsidespurs
Thing is though West, Roman's only human! he could have a clutcher or something of that effect tomorrow, just like any of us! Not that I'd want that of course, but ***** like that is so random don't you think? Best you guys make sure he's eating well and not drinking to much of the clear firewater I reckon 8-)
flv
We could have nobody and still finish above Spurs, Matt.
flv
Sorry West, change the ****** to the word, 'stuff'.
flv
I hope wenger stays & hill-wood goes.
thenry009
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